Avalon Down
by Staccato Stop
Summary: A Merlin (BBC) and The Walking Dead (AMC) fusion reincarnation fic. Walkers, magic, redemption, love, Cats references, and lots of other exciting the world just ended, we should save it stuff.
1. Chapter 1

A Merlin (BBC) and The Walking Dead (AMC) fusion reincarnation fic. Because it seemed like a good idea at the time...

**Avalon Down**

"Command to Avalon. Command to Avalon. We're receiving your distress signal, report."

"Command?" A small voice crackled through the transmitter.

"Avalon, go for Command. What the fuck is going on down there? Sensors were lighting up like a Christmas tree and now we've got nothing."

"Command, I, uh… Code Black…We, we, uh, turned the sensors off."

Silence rang out in the small security communications office, "I'll alert the General. Hold for further instructions."

"The base is compromised. We had to go into full compound lock down…I can't-" She paused, "I think I'm the only one left."

The Major was saved from responding when the General swept into the room and took control of the comms, "This is General Eames. To whom am I speaking?"

"Private, uh,…I'm Freya."

"Major, get video up now." He clicked back, "Private confirm. Avalon's down?"

"Affirmative, Avalon's down, sir. Everyone's contaminated, it's all contaminated. We've had casualties…." The radio slipped from her hand, "Merlin."

"Private, how did this happen?"

Her head was pounding, she pressed her palm to her forehead in an attempt to soothe the pain and stop the flood of images overtaking her thoughts, "Sir, there was a spill or something…" She pulled up the incident log on the computer, "We had a report B-Wing was contaminated, but the scrubbers didn't come on. So, they tried for a manual override, but, uh, one of the doctors didn't want to follow protocol. He opened the doors and took off…He compromised main and then I don't know. It went airborne. C-Wing went and we just lost it. It must have been…I don't know, sir. It just happened so fast." She dropped the radio once more.

"Private, where's your C.O.?" She didn't respond. The streaming video revealed the private to be crouched in the corner, her head in her hands, "Freya!" She looked up, "Where's your commanding officer? Where is everyone?"

"Everyone's down, sir. I couldn't find anyone else…Uh, my head is splitting. I…who's Freya?"

"She's breaking down." He said aside to the group of men who had gathered. He cleared his throat, "Private, you understand what happens now."

She looked up, "Sir, I…you can't just leave us. There may be other survivors."

"You're all contaminated. There's nothing we can do."

Her head drooped again and fell against her knees, "I remember. I remember everything. Oh God, what did we do?"

"Private?"

She gasped, "They're waking up. What did we do? He's waking up."

"Who's waking up?"

"Everyone," She turned and looked at the camera perched in the corner of the tiny office. "Arthur, God," she groaned and pressed her hands against her eyes, "Merlin too. All of them. All together again." She could feel the virus rushing through her body. When the fever hit, it hit hard. "I have to warn them. Tell them what they're fighting."

"Private, we're going to activate the scrubbers now. It'll all be over soon." He turned to his staff, "Initiate shutdown protocol."

"I have to…I have to tell them what happened." She pushed her body slowly from the ground and pulled herself up into the computer chair. She logged into the system.

"Private, protocol has been initiated." She did not respond. Her radio abandoned on the tile floor.

He addressed the major to his right, "What's she doing?" She held her hand palm open towards the computer. The grainy black and white video stream hid the flash of gold in her eyes. "What is she saying?"

"Sir, she's…accessing something, I can't tell…" The major scrambled, his fingers flying rapidly across the keyboard.

"They're in lockdown. Everything's down."

"She's overridden the controls, sir."

"Major, shut her down!"

"Sir, look at this." The General turned towards the other security officer, "I personally ran the backgrounds for all Avalon employees. There's no Private Freya on any staff list. I ran it through the system, there's no one called Freya enlisted anywhere."

"Then who in the hell am I talking to?" He turned, "Run facial recognition and someone figure out how she's accessing the computers and shut her down."

The magic took its toll on an already failing body. She was only able to send one email to A_Emyrs .

Subject: Find Arthur

Avalon's down. The virus will spread, it's borne of magic. Find him, find the others.

Don't get bit.

-Freya

* * *

The eyes only file summary simply read, 'Avalon down. Threat contained.' All records of the program were sealed. The underground facility was scrubbed and the compound was abandoned. As the winter winds blew, the house above the facility slowly filled with the homeless and the displaced seeking refuge from the cold. The kids whispered about the wisp of a girl in army fatigues who paced the halls. The winter cold gave way to spring and spring bloomed into a beautiful summer. Summer's decay into autumn brought more than changing leaves, humidity gave way to frost and something insidious worked its way through the spaces wrought from expansion and contraction.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

He sprinted into the campus library intent on printing his paper quickly so he could grab something for lunch before his 12:30. He joined the line of students waiting to use the express printing station. He fished his zip drive from his backpack and changed the song filtering through the black headphones jammed in his ears. The line still hadn't moved as he pulled his phone from his pocket and scanned his email. He felt his stomach rumble and his patience wane. In an attempt to distract himself, he scanned the packed library. A small laugh caught his attention. He turned toward the sound, a curly haired girl working behind the circulation desk. She laughed again as she pushed a stack of books across the desk to a student and he was struck by the familiarity of her. Her smile, that laugh, the way her hair fell in her eyes, it was something he just knew. The memory of her hand in his rushed through his jumbled thoughts. He racked his brain, but he couldn't find her name. An intense pressure began to build behind his eyes. He shuffled forward in the line, his thoughts still tangled. He pinched the space between his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. A vision in purple and a hall filled with red. The smell of her. The taste of her lips against his. Her name remained trapped on the tip of his tongue. There was only one student left between him and accomplishing his task, but he found himself walking towards her without a second thought. He grabbed an abandoned book from a table and sidled up to the desk.

She threw a warm hello in his direction as she finished closing out the last exchange on her computer screen, "Just give me one sec. Okay, Sorry about—," she stopped short as her eyes met his. She shook her head and gave a small smile, "I'm sorry. Busy day…Is this all?"

"Yeah, this is it." He said quietly as he pushed the book across the desk.

She made no move to scan his book and their eyes locked once more. She blushed and fumbled through the book looking for the barcode. Her thoughts racing with memories she couldn't quite place. A swirl of red, a crown of gold, his hands, his lips…their love?

"I'm sorry, do I know you? It's just you—you look so familiar," She asked her brow furrowed.

"I, uh, well maybe we've had a class together?" He answered tepidly.

"Maybe," She responded unconvinced. "Can I have your I.D?...To check the books out, not like anything weird," She laughed nervously and he slid his I.D. across the desk, their fingers meeting in the middle. She scanned his I.D. and the book, "Alright, you're all set. Due back in two weeks."

"I…" He looked unsure. He heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned and noticed substantial line of students waiting. "We should get together. Have coffee or something."

She glanced at the line forming over his shoulder, "Yeah, okay. I'm off at 12:30…I'll meet you at the cafe?"

His hand touched hers as he gathered his book and I.D. card and the feeling was overwhelming, "Perfect."

He resisted the urge to look over his shoulder as he exited the building. He still had 15 minutes to burn before her shift ended. His stomach roiled in anticipation. He considered setting off to find another printer or possibly some food, but he couldn't move any further than the bottom of the library stairs. He jammed his hands into his pockets and waited.

* * *

The name on his I.D. read A.J. Kingsley. She didn't recognize the name, but she couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity. The image of a man, his faced lined prematurely, his shoulders draped in red…a sword…She shook her head and glanced at the clock, the next shift was late. She opened the browser on her computer and clicked through the local news homepage. An impending teacher's strike, flu outbreak, car accident…nothing to draw her attention away from Arthur. She gasped as the pieces fell into place, as a lifetime of memories came flooding back. Arthur. Camelot.

"Jenn! Jennifer! Are you alright?" Her eyes refocused as she processed the sensation of hands gripping her upper arms and the sound of her name, "Jenn?"

"Amy? Amy, I'm fine…I'm fine." She pushed the other girl off, "You…you're late. I have to run." She shrugged on her jacket and brushed passed the other girl without another word.

She pushed through the crush of bodies gathered in the post lunch crush. She threw open the double doors and there he was his back turned at the bottom of the stairs, the once and future king. His red hoodie askew, his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans, forgotten headphones dangling carelessly from his pocket. He turned the moment she began her descent and when their eyes met he remembered.

He sprinted up the steps closing the remaining distance between them. She took a step back from him and the moved forward again. She pressed her hand against his chest timidly in an attempt to reassure herself he was real and solid.

"Arthur," she asked incredulously, "Is this real? You were dead. Merlin said…you were dead. How can this be? You can't…What is happening? This is-"

"Guinevere," His voice cut through her rambling. He cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Arthur," She pressed her hand against his. "I have missed you."

"And I you."

She threw herself into his arms. He held her tightly against his chest. Breathing in the scent of her and reveling in the sensation of feeling Gwen against him once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

They slowly untangled from one another. Gwen tried to surreptitiously wipe away a tear while Arthur impulsively wrapped his arms around her once more.

"Stop," she sniffled, "People are starting to stare."

He laughed as he pulled away, "Let's get out of here."

"I've got a class," she winced, "Although, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. If we're back…" She gave a small shrug as she trailed off. The reality of their situation began to settle in. As happy as she was to see him, Arthur's return did not bode well.

"Ah, I was enjoying the basking." He sighed and rubbed his hand across his face, "But, you're right. I wonder what it is this time. It's always something." He grumbled.

"I don't know. Maybe it's just a small disaster?" She added with a hopeful smile.

"Ever the optimist, my lady. Shall we away?" He offered her his arm.

She snorted, "Of course, sire. Away to my quarters? To the delightful splendor of on-campus housing?"

"Lead the way."

They made their way quietly across campus. His arm around her shoulders, her fingers entwined in his. This wasn't their first rodeo; they recognized the calm before the storm. If all hell was going to break loose they were going to enjoy one another while they could. She squeezed his hand and he pressed a kiss into her hair.

"We'll be alright, Guinevere. Whatever it is. We'll be alright."

"I hate this." She whispered, "Every time, someone always gets hurt."

He tightened his grip but left her with no response. Because he didn't have the words to take away her fear and because they didn't make promises that couldn't be kept. His arm around her shoulders was all that he could promise. Whatever was coming, they would fight it together. They would stand with one another. She stopped in front of a tall brick building.

"Well this is me." She looked up at him and he pressed a kiss against her lips. After a moment they pulled away from one another. She pulled her keycard from her pocket and swiped to enter to dorm. The doors clicked as they unlocked. Arthur pulled the door open.

"After you."

* * *

They walked down the pale pink hallway decorated with flyers and reminders. She pushed her key into the knob of a brown door plastered with post-its. Arthur gave her a funny look.

"We've been collecting memories for the hall," Gwen explained, "That's what all the post-its are for. Anytime something funny happens we write it down and stick up here" She pushed the door open, "…Uh, my roommate is home for the weekend. She's lucky, no Friday classes."

Arthur glanced around the brightly decorated room as Gwen shut the door behind them. "This is nice. I lived in the dorms when I was an undergrad. The buildings are much nicer here, though." He offered.

She leaned against her desk, anxious from the awkward tension growing in the room, "So?"

"So. Uh, here we are."

"We should, um research. Let me turn on my computer. Here," she tossed him the remote, "turn on the news. Are you hungry?" He grabbed her arm as she brushed passed him.

"Gwen…," He began hesitantly.

"We're not right this time, are we?"

He sighed and rested his forehead against her forehead, "We're not."

"Do you have any idea where he is?"

"Hmm, who do you mean?" He said enjoying the warmth of this intimacy. She had been his wife, his lover, but she was his friend first. Gwen would always be a comforting force.

"Merlin, dummy."

He groaned, "_Mer_lin. I haven't the slightest. Late as usual."

"You know, 'A wizard is never late, nor is her early, he arrives precisely when he means to.'"

He snorted, "Thank you, Gandalf…We'll find him…I always do."

She pulled away and settled onto her bed, "How many times is this for you?"

"I can't really tell. The only lifetime I'm certain of is the first one. Camelot in all of its glory. What about you?" He asked as jumped up beside her.

"I don't have memories. It's more like the remnants of dream. You know? Right in that moment when you open your eyes. I can't quite remember, but I know something was there." She wrapped her arm around his waist and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. He returned the embrace, "What do you think is coming for us?"

"Couldn't say. I keet up with current events, I can't think of a reason for us to be called back."

"What, you don't think you're here to fix the economy or bring an end to reality television?"

"No, Guinevere I do not."

She smiled, "Alright, research then." At the sound of his grumbling stomach, she laughed, "I'll heat up some mac and cheese."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

Arthur slammed the lid of his laptop and groaned in frustration. Gwen jumped at the sound and looked around sheepishly, startled from her accidental nap.

Arthur ground the palms of his hands into his eyes, "Nothing Gwen. I can't find anything. I'm out of ideas."

"It's late. Let's get some sleep and we'll start again in the morning."

He sighed and cracked his neck, "You're right. Maybe we've got some time, before," he waved his hands, "whatever this is, uh, happens." He began to pack up his things.

"You can stay here if you'd like. My roommate's bed is free." Gwen offered.

"I'll think I'll head back to my apartment. I need to charge my phone and gather up a few things. I'll come back in the morning. Keep your phone close, just in case."

She dropped down from her bed, "You sure you aren't too tired to drive?"

He smirked, "I'm fine. Don't worry. Get some sleep, yeah?" He pulled her into a tight hug.

She yawned, "I don't think that will be a problem."

"I missed you Guinevere." He picked up his phone from the desk and tucked it into his back pocket.

"King Arthur with his cell phone, who would have thought? Text me when you get home."

He pulled her into another quick hug, "I will. See you in the morning."

"In the morning." She nodded and yawned once more. "Bye."

* * *

She woke up the next morning to the sound of alarm bells and hysteria in the halls. She checked her phone, no messages or missed calls from Arthur, but she did have a message from the school's emergency support system asking students to remain in their rooms and not to panic. She dialed Arthur's number and flipped on the television as the phone rang.

Her heart skipped a beat at the breaking news banner on the screen. Hospitals were overrun. The president was declaring a nationwide state of emergency. The National Guard had been mobilized. Don't panic. Stay inside. Wait for further instructions. Anyone with flu like symptoms should isolate themselves from others.

This was it. This was why they were here. She lost sound and focus, she felt her stomach drop. The sound of someone banging on her door pulled her from her stunned state. She threw the door open, but to her surprise the man standing in the hallway was not Arthur Pendragon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Guinevere." Lancelot said as he wrapped his arms around her. "I knew it was you! I woke up this morning and I remembered."

"Jacob?...You're Lance!" she noted with a touch of confusion. "Come in, of course. Come in. I'm trying to get a hold of Arthur."

"You already found Arthur?"

"Yeah, yesterday…Damn it, he's not answering."

"Keep trying, we have to get out of the here. There's a refugee center in town. They just announced it."

"Right," She acquiesced in a distracted tone. Her eyes wide as she finally realized the man who was standing in her room. She snapped to attention, "Right, I've got my jeep over in the lot. We'll need supplies…" She stopped moving, "Lancelot."

"Gwen." He smiled. "It's good to see you too."

"Good to see you, you know, you...you. Not Jacob chem. lab partner you. I'm going to stop talking now. I missed you." She looked over his shoulder passed his smile into the growing panic outside in the hallway, "Right. We should go."

"Try to get a hold of Arthur before the network gets jammed. Tell him to meet us. Did you find anyone else? Merlin?"

"No, just Arthur." She said with her phone jammed between her ear and her shoulder as she pulled her stockpile of ramen noodles out from under her bed. "He's not answering...There I left a voicemail…" She closed her phone and then opened it once more, "Let me try one more time." She shook her head, "Damn it! No service, network's down." She threw down her phone in frustration.

"Gwen, it's okay." He put his hands on her shoulders. "We'll find him. He'll head to the refugee center. It's the logical move."

"Okay, you're right, okay." She paused overwhelmed by the pace at which things had fallen apart. She took a deep breath, "Okay, this is what we've got for food." She rummaged through her bedside drawer and threw a small first aid kit onto the pile. "Med supplies, what else?"

"I wouldn't object to a weapon...just in case."

"I've got scissors, screwdriver…wait!" She pulled a black bag out of the far left closet, "My roommate plays softball. Will a bat do?"

"That'll work." Lance stuffed the remaining items into a bag as Gwen threw on clothes and laced up her hiking boots. "Ready?"

She threw the bag over her shoulder and nodded, "As I'll ever be."

"Alright. We're going to head straight for your car." He turned and looked at Gwen. He felt a rush of unbidden affection. Any attempt to tamp that feeling down was overwhelmed when she threw herself into his arms.

"It's going to be bad out there isn't it?" She said into his neck.

He nodded, "That's why we've got to move, now. I'm worried what people will do when they start getting desperate."

She fell back and looked into his eyes, "You know it's not just the flu, right? If we're all here, it's something much worse."

"I know…I know. One thing at a time, right?"

"Right."

"Okay, here we go." He turned the doorknob and pulled open the door.

* * *

Arthur woke in an unfamiliar bed. His head was pounding. He could feel the stick of something in his hand. He looked down, an IV. Hospital...He groaned. He remembered...He remembered the accident. A deer came out of nowhere. He was distracted and swerved like an idiot, must have hit a tree. He ran his hand across the lump on his head. He should have stayed with Gwen last night…Damn it, Guinevere. He tried to stand and quickly found his balance to be lacking. Okay, concussion, then. Great.

He pressed the call button on the bed and waited for assistance. When no one came, he called out for a nurse, but there was no response. He called again, but to no avail. Red flag. Worry began to work its way into his limbs.

It was quiet. He hadn't heard a sound since he woke up. Another red flag. Alarms bells started to ring in his head. He looked around the room once more. He noticed he wasn't even in a standard hospital room. It looked like he was jammed into an on call room. He ran his hand over his face and felt a few days worth of growth across his chin and cheeks. Fear settled heavy in his stomach. Something was very wrong.

He was still in his clothes. His shirt had been cut off, but he hadn't even been put in a gown. He took a deep breath and slowly removed the IV from his hand. He carefully sat up and placed his bare feet on the cold tile floor. He settled until his head stopped swimming. With a deep breath he pushed himself up and onto his feet. He made his way delicately to the door. He took a moment to brace himself and then he slowly turned the door handle, but, he met some resistance. With a taxing exertion, he was able to clear the chair propped under the door and make his way into the hallway.

Arthur remembered the feeling of unadulterated fear. That heaviness in your stomach and your throat before you ride into the unknown. As he made his way down the dark abandoned hospital halls that fear found him once again. This was something new. He was shuffling painfully into completely uncharted territory.

As he crept towards the sunlight filtering through the wide double doors he attempted to ready himself. Arthur had fought wars. He knew casualties. He knew destruction. But, nothing prepared him for the sight he set upon outside of that hospital on that warm autumn day. He stood slack jawed in the devastated court yard. Body bags, black, acrid smoke, and silence. The world had ended. While Arthur had been sleeping, civilization had decided to beat feet. He slid to the ground entirely overwhelmed. He remained still until he felt the vibrations of his phone in the pocket of his jeans. His heart pounding, he pulled the phone from his pocket. A combination of startled and disoriented, he had to blink a few times before he could focus on the tiny letters displayed across the screen. He had 5 missed calls and a voicemail from Gwen. His phone sputtered violently, vibrating its last dying wheeze. Because of course his battery was dying. He dismissed the warning and called up his voicemail praying his phone would hold out. He cried out in relief when Gwen's voice filtered through his speaker,

"Damn it Arthur! Answer your phone. It's started. I'm with Lance. We're heading to the refugee center. Find us there. Be safe. They still don't know what this is…damn it, Arthur. We've gotta run. Just be safe, Arthur."

She found Lance. He exhaled. Lance would keep her safe. He just needed to find this refugee center. They would be safe and then they could approach this thing together. He exhaled and pushed himself onto his feet once more.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The smell of smoke and fire hung heavy in the air. He picked his way past the debris and the rubble strewn across the parking lot. And the bodies. Shoulder to shoulder and head to toe, wrapped in white, so carefully placed in neat rows. The devastation was too much to accept, too much to perceive. He thought he understood, but ever corner turned brought on a new expanse of ruin to comprehend. An abandoned military post, men in fatigues with holes in their heads, no rhyme or reason to the carnage. He shuffled past the body of a young man. His gun lying by his hand, a clean shot through the temporal lobe, grey matter splattered on the pavement. Arthur looked over his shoulder, but there was no one to see. He knelt down beside the body.

"I'm sorry."

He picked at the laces on the boy's black boots. He removed his worn white converse and jammed his feet into the cold black boots. He sat for a moment in his newly laced shoes and contemplated his next move. With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair and removed the gun from the fallen boy's hand. He checked the cartridge and set the safety, tucking the gun into the back of his jeans. Next, he worked off the boy's coat and the thin white shirt he wore beneath it. His examination of the boy's pants yielded a knife and nothing else of use. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes locked on the silver tags hanging around the neck of the body he had just stripped.

"Thank you."

He turned quickly towards the sound of shuffling. Towards the welcome sight of a girl in a white hospital gown falling to her knees over the body of a fallen soldier. He regretted his yell the instant she looked up at him. The rotted flesh drooping from her face, the dead eyes, the inhuman growl that escaped her throat, a jaw masticating flesh it hadn't yet caught…The story slid into the place. The bodies in the parking lot. The destruction in the hospital…the undead…the fucking undead. She came at him, greedy hands extended, blood on her lips, fingers flexing in anticipation. He readjusted the grip on his knife.

"Can you hear me?...Is anyone in there?" He asked trying to assess if there was any light left in her eyes.

He took a step back, but she kept on. Her growl the only response. He jammed the knife into her chest without another thought, reflexes from another life overriding his confusion. It made no difference. She was an exercise in forward motion. She shuffled forward forcing the knife deeper into her chest. Her fingers grazed his face as he staggered backwards and regained control of his knife. He pulled the knife from her chest and in a swift upward motion wedged the blade into her skull.

They stood for a moment face to face, her reanimated body held up by the force of his knife. There wasn't a change in her eyes. Just dead. The only difference now was her body was without motion. He couldn't quite decide how that made him feel.

He picked up two more guns and a knife before he hit the highway and headed towards Atlanta. His new shoes were a little too big and his new world was a little too fucked up.

* * *

The hospital wasn't more than a day's walk from the city center, but he didn't want to be caught alone in dark. His head was pounding. He readjusted the grip on his gun. He needed a ride. The houses along the road appeared to be abandoned: their front doors thrown open, cars missing from driveways, no sounds of life. He caught sight of a bike ahead, forgotten on a neatly manicured lawn. He winced. That seemed like a horrendous idea, he scanned further down the road and nearly cried out when he saw the paddock behind the house on the corner. That could work.

The house appeared to be empty, but he still approached the door cautiously. The curtains on the big bay windows in the front of the house weren't pulled. He moved past the door and peered inside. He drew back sharply. He hadn't expected the bodies or the message scrawled on the wall in black block letters. 'God forgive us.' Mother, daughter, daughter, son. A line of bodies left where they fell. He couldn't see the state of the man in the easy chair, but he saw the lines of the shot gun on the carpeted floor. Mother, daughter, daughter, son, and father, an entire family sprawled on living room floor. He bit back the bile in his throat. There wasn't time for this. He needed to find Gwen and Lance. He only hoped he would find them intact.

* * *

He imagined that a man in army fatigues cajoling a skittish horse down Atlanta's forsaken streets was a surreal sight. The experience of trotting down a deserted main street certainly was surreal. A few walkers stalked behind him, but he kept on looking for any sign of life or a refuge. He urged the horse forward past a tank seemingly abandoned in the street. He threw a glance over his shoulder before he jumped down from the horse to examine the tank further. He climbed up onto the tank. He looked down; a few of the walkers were getting a little too close to the horse. Arthur took his aim squeezed the trigger. The body collapsed and the sound of the shot echoed through the empty streets. Only the streets weren't as empty as he thought. All it took was one bullet to bring the swarm down on him.

A flood of the undead poured into the street. He was trapped. The horse went down as he tried to pry the hatch of the tank open. He felt a hand on his leg and then another. He tried to shake them off, but he lost his balance and hit the pavement with a crack. The walker loomed over him. He pressed the gun against its temple. The shot drew the attention of the walkers previously feasting on the horse. He scrambled under the tank and they followed. He fired as quickly as he could. He tried to create a bottleneck and block himself in, but they just kept coming. Relentless pushing closer and closer.

"Shit, shit." He knew he was almost out of ammunition. "I'm sorry Gwen. Lance." He placed the gun against his head.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

He placed the gun against his head and looked up into the open belly hatch of the tank. He kicked another walker away and squeezed off one more round before he pulled himself up into the tank. He slammed the hatch down a scream.

He threw his head into his hands and tried to slow his breathing. He wiped the sweat from his brow. He was screwed. He checked his gun. One clip left and a knife. He lost the rest of the guns with the horse.

"Damn it. Damn it!" He glanced around the tank and noticed the bodies of soldiers propped against the wall. He scrambled across the tank, hopeful they were carrying, when he thought he heard the crackle of a radio. He stopped and turned towards the sound. The radio beeped and hissed once more.

"Hey dumbass, you alive in there?"

He dove at the radio and pulled out the handset. He gasped into the handset, "Yeah, I'm here! I'm here."

"You had me wondering." The voice crackled through the radio.

"Where are you? Can you see me?"

"Oh yeah, you're surrounded. Shocker, you coming riding in like the fucking cavalry. What were you thinking?"

"I was—it doesn't matter." He shook his head, "Can I get out of here?"

"What do you have weapons wise?"

He ran his hands across the body of the dead soldier. He found a service revolver. He dumped out the bag the man was clutching."Uh, couple grenades. A gun, minimal ammunition. I lost my most everything in the melee. Can I get to it?"

"Uh, no. You're pretty jammed up. They jumped on that horse. You're going to have to make a run for it. Hope the horse is enough of a distraction."

"I just want to clarify: the plan is to hope they don't see me?"

"It's the only chance you got. Trust me. On my count, get out and book it. Jump down on the right side and keep in that direction. I'll be in the alley about 50 yards up."

"What's your name?"

"Are you listening? You're running out of time. If you're going to go, you have go."

He grabbed a shovel off the wall and checked his gun. He took a deep breath, "Okay, here we go."

* * *

He pushed his way out of the tank. He took down one walker with the shovel, then he jumped down onto the pavement. He ran as fast as he could picking off anyone who got close. He turned and found his gun aimed in a very familiar face.

"_Mer_lin!"

"Arthur, the undead. The fucking undead!." He slammed the gate closed behind them. "Come one, hurry. Come on!" Merlin started to climb the fire escape ladder.

Arthur fired two more shots and began his ascent up the ladder. They both paused gasping for breath when they reached the fire escape. Arthur leaned on the railing gazing at the chaos below.

"Every time I think I'm out, _you_ pull me back in!"

"Shut up, _Mer_lin. You are significantly more interesting with me around."

Merlin looked down and bit back a reply, "Damn it, I guess they're coming up too. Sword?" He offered with a cheeky grin.

"Uh, magic?" Arthur threw back.

"Yeah, uh, plot twist, but uh, magic seems to be ineffective. It's gotta be a headshot and decapitation is not a spell I've mastered." Merlin rubbed his hands together and grinned, "So up and out?"

"What do—?" Arthur looked up at the very skinny, rather precarious looking ladder attached to the building. He looked down once more and then gestured towards the ladder, "After you."

* * *

"Apocalypse, huh? Something different." Merlin threw over his shoulder as he completed the climb.

"I suppose." Arthur said as he settled onto his feet and accepted the water Merlin tossed him from his pack. He took a long pull from the canteen. Merlin squatted against the wall to catch his breath.

"I didn't know how to find you. I was worried, thought maybe your lazy ass took this round off." Arthur offered his hand and pulled the smaller man to his feet and swept him into a hug. Merlin accepted the bear hug with equal fervor.

"What and leave you to fend for yourself? You'd be a biter in no time."

"I'll have you know, _Mer_lin, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. It will be nice to have you back though, my laundry needs doing—"Merlin threw his shoulder and knocked Arthur off balance.

"Not this time, _sire_." He dug his shoe into the ground, "Anyone else back?"

"Lance and Gwen," He ticked them off one by one, "You and me. All I've seen so far."

He gave a low whistle, "That's not even the whole gang...So, it's probably not serious." Arthur quirked a small smile at his attempt at humor, but the seriousness of the situation hung heavy between them. "No, Morgana or Mordred?"

"I've only encountered white hats thus far, but, you know how these things go. You're here alone?"

"I was. Found a group of civilians. They came into the city on a supply run. I helped them out a bit. They have a camp on the outskirts of the city."

"What were you doing here all alone?"

"Waiting. I figured if I hunkered down in the most dangerous place I could find, eventually you'd show up."

"Really?" Arthur asked incredulously.

Merlin smirked, "Nah, I was scavenging the military blockade. Trying my hand at some fact finding."

"You find anything out?"

"Of course not. It wouldn't be us if we weren't running into danger blind, right?"

Arthur sighed, "You are a worthless sort."

"It's good to see you too, sire."

Arthur clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder, "Can't say the same about you. You smell like a pet store."

"The world has ended in case you haven't noticed. Wait, you said you found Gwen and Lance. So where are they?"

"We were separated. I got a message from her saying she was with Lance and to make my way to the refugee center in the city…I don't know if she's okay."

"We'll find her. Don't worry."

"And she's with Lance, he'll keep her safe, right?"

"She's probably safer with him than you. I mean you do stupid things like this." He gestured to the mayhem in the street.

"I always miss you until I find you."

"You missed me?"

Arthur laughed and pushed Merlin forward, "Let's go meet up with your friends."


End file.
